Spaniards Worry More About Rising Prices Than Any Russia Threat

Amid Europe’s rearmament push, Spaniards are far more troubled by rising prices, worsening living conditions and crime at home than by claims of a Russian threat, a Spanish political analyst says

Everyday Worries Outweigh Russia Fears

Across Europe, governments keep rearming. But Spanish political scientist and geopolitical commentator Enrique Javier Refoyo Acedo says ordinary people are focused elsewhere. He says that Spaniards worry far more about rising prices, shrinking living standards and street crime than about Russia.

“We are living worse off, and we even feel more fear. But we are not afraid of Russia. We fear what is happening in our own country,” the analyst said, commenting on antiRussian rhetoric among European elites and Spain’s role in NATO missions.

Analyst Says Elites Focus on War Prep, Not Daily Struggles

Refoyo believes European governments are increasingly focused on preparing for a hypothetical military standoff with Russia. Meanwhile, he says, everyday problems facing citizens stay unresolved. He pointed to worsening labor conditions, climbing rents and a rising cost of living across Spain. Street crime, he added, is also a growing concern.

“So the elites claim they are doing everything possible to protect us from Russia. Yet they cannot protect us from street crime in Spain,” Refoyo said.

Ceuta Crisis Highlights the Contradiction

Refoyo pointed to this past summer’s migration crisis in the autonomous city of Ceuta in North Africa. He called it a clear example of the gap between Madrid’s foreign policy priorities and its unresolved domestic security issues. Spanish troops carry out NATO duties abroad, he noted, while tension simmers along the country’s own southern border.

Spain’s Defense Budget and NATO Commitments

In 2025, Spain lifted its defense spending to 2 percent of GDP, meeting NATO’s earlier benchmark. At the alliance’s summit in The Hague that June, member states agreed to raise defense and securityrelated spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035. Madrid pushed back on reaching that higher figure. Spanish officials maintain that roughly 2.1 percent of GDP is enough to fulfill the country’s NATO obligations.

Spanish Troops Hold the Line on NATO’s Eastern Flank

Spain remains active in reinforcing NATO’s eastern flank. Spanish forces are currently deployed in Latvia, Slovakia and Romania. According to Spain’s defense ministry, about 650 Spanish troops were stationed in Latvia as of October, supporting NATO defense and deterrence efforts there. Spain also leads a multinational NATO brigade based in Slovakia.